Organized by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s (HRSDC) Office for

Disability Issues, the objective of the Engagement on Employment Barriers for

Canadians with Disabilities was to bring national, disability stakeholders together to discuss the challenges and barriers, along with the success stories and best practices, experienced by Canadians with disabilities in relation to employment. On February 8, 2012 a meeting was held with national disability stakeholders in Ottawa, ON and, between February and April 2012, teleconference calls were held with three Aboriginal organizations to gain additional insight into the particular employment issues experienced by First Nations, Métis and Inuit people with disabilities.

The meeting and conference calls were part of HRSDC's ongoing engagement with Canadians with disabilities, disability-focused organizations and Aboriginal organizations in relation to employment and other issues.

HRSDC’s Office for Disability Issues (ODI) would like to thank the members of the Stakeholder Engagement Meeting Working Group for providing guidance in carrying out these stakeholder engagement activities.

DISABILITY IN CANADA

Based on 2006 data from Statistics Canada:

* There are approximately 4.4 million children and adults with disabilities in Canada. This represents an increase in the overall population reporting a disability from 12.4% in 2001 to 14.3% in 2006. This increase was largely attributed to an aging population and an increase in the reporting of learning disabilities.

* Overall, disability rates for Aboriginal people in Canada are estimated to be 20% to 50% greater than the rates in the non-Aboriginal population.

* The most common types of disabilities among adults are pain-related, mobility and agility disabilities.

* Adults with disabilities are less likely to have a high school diploma compared to adults without disabilities.

* Adults with disabilities are more likely than adults without disabilities to have trade diplomas and certificates (14.7% versus 12.0%) but are less likely to have bachelor’s degrees (8.3% versus 15.3%).

* The employment rate for working-age adults with disabilities is significantly lower than the employment rate for working-age adults without disabilities (53.5% versus 75.1%).

* The average employment income for working-age adults with disabilities was

22.5% lower than the average income of working-age adults without disabilities.

Background

Despite progress in recent decades, many Canadians with disabilities continue to face challenges—such as discrimination, lack of workplace accommodations, and inadequate accessibility—in finding and keeping employment. These challenges represent long standing systemic issues that all orders of government and disability stakeholders have been working to improve for decades. At the same time, two emerging issues—our evolving understanding of disability and the aging of the Canadian population—are adding further challenges to the employment situation for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are a dynamic population and sub-sets of the Canadian population with disabilities are not facing the same demographic challenges. Aboriginals in Canada are not facing the same demographic challenge of an aging population. Aboriginal people are in fact the fastest growing, and youngest segment of the Canadian population. Between 2001 and 2006, Canada’s Aboriginal population grew four times faster than the non-Aboriginal population. Furthermore, it is estimated that over the next ten years, 400,000 Aboriginal Canadians will reach an age to enter the labour market.

While not facing the same demographic challenges, Aboriginal people with disabilities face many of the same issues and barriers as non-Aboriginals with disabilities. For example, Aboriginals have some of the highest disability rates in Canada and many of the same challenges (such as lack of accessibility, low-income, and low-education levels) as Canada’s non-Aboriginal disability communities. These challenges are often exacerbated and compounded by the socio-economic factors faced by Aboriginal communities overall.

Evolving Understanding of Disability

Over time, the understanding of what a disability is has evolved from medical and charitable models (under which people with disabilities were segregated and supported as objects of charity) to social and human rights models that focus on the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream society. These changing definitions have been reinforced by the creation of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which defines disability as an ‘evolving concept” that “results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”. Canada ratified the UNCRPD in 2010.

Overall, the understanding of disability has broadened over time to include the disabling effects of chronic, episodic and mental health disabilities. Developmental, learning and mental health related disabilities are also becoming increasingly reported and have become a larger part of the general public’s awareness of what a disability can be.

Among Aboriginal people and communities, the definitions of disability are even more complex as Aboriginal people do not necessarily see themselves in the “functional limitation” definition of disability often used by government programs; this has unfortunately resulted in Aboriginal people with disabilities not taking full advantage of employment programs available to them. These changes in how we understand and define disability, continues to affect the relationship Canadians with disabilities have with the labour market.

Population Aging

Canada’s population and workforce are aging and, because the incidence of disability rises with age, it is anticipated that an increasing share of the employed will experience age-related disabilities. This rise in age-related disabilities will present new challenges in Canada’s workforce. However, population aging may also present opportunities for working age people with disabilities for, as the population ages and older workers retire, it is anticipated that there will be a slowing of the growth of the labour force which may create a shortage of skilled employees. Given these expected shortages, people with disabilities, and other traditionally underrepresented groups in the labour force, such as Aboriginal Canadians, may represent a relatively untapped reservoir of talent and employment potential.

METHODOLOGY

National Disability Stakeholder Engagement Process

In October, 2011, HRSDC established a Working Group (WG) to provide it with guidance in organizing an engagement meeting with national, disability stakeholders focused on employment issues for Canadians with disabilities. The WG was comprised of representatives from the following national disability organizations: Canadian Association for Community Living, Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, Council of Canadians with Disabilities, the Disabled Women’s Network-Réseau d’Action des femmes handicapées, Independent Living Canada, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Neil Squire Society, and the Network on Episodic Disability.

With guidance from the WG, HRSDC organized a meeting of 30 representatives from 27 organizations. Criteria for participation in the engagement meeting were that participant organizations be non-governmental, have a national mandate, have a clear focus on disability issues, and be engaged in employment activities for people with disabilities. Additional organizations were also invited to ensure representation from Francophone, multi-ethnic, and Aboriginal organizations. The WG also advised HRSDC to hold additional engagement activities to enable Aboriginal organizations to discuss more fully the particular challenges and barriers, as well as successes and best practices, faced by Aboriginal people with disabilities. See Annex A for a complete list of participants of both engagement activities.

The national disability stakeholder meeting was held on February 8, 2012 in Ottawa and was opened by Ms. Nancy Milroy-Swainson, Director General of HRSDC’s Office for Disability Issues. Ms. Annette Thrasher, Director of the Policy and Research Division in the Office for Disability Issues, then provided an overview of employment issues faced by Canadians with disabilities today. The presentation ended with five questions that formed the basis of the day’s discussions. See Annex B for detailed questions.

Between February and April 2012, teleconferences were held with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the Métis National Council (MNC), and The Assembly of First Nations (AFN).The teleconferences were based on the five questions that were utilized during the February 8 engagement meeting. It should be noted that Aboriginal stakeholders who were consulted also recommended that ODI review the HRSDC funded 2006 literature review “Where the River Flows: Aboriginal People with Disability” and the report “Showcasing Best Practices in Developing Effective Employment Strategies for Aboriginal People with Disabilities.”

KEY FINDINGS

General Themes

Key similar issues in the employment of Canadians with disabilities were identified by stakeholders throughout the two engagement activities and are organized into eight themes below.

1. Education and Awareness

Many participants indicated that Canadian employers need to better understand how to integrate employees with disabilities into the workplace and that employers need to be better informed of their responsibilities in relation to accommodating disabilities. Aboriginal stakeholders further indicated that employers need to better understand disabilities and need greater sensitization and awareness about the Aboriginal way of life.

Stakeholders suggested that governments have a role in educating employers and raising their awareness of disability employment issues; this could be done, for example, through the development of employer outreach campaigns to increase employer awareness of how to accommodate people with disabilities in workspaces. It was noted that any campaign directed at employers would need to be done with arguments that are relevant to business. For example, rather than focusing on the duty of employers to accommodate workers with disabilities, it may be better to focus on how hiring people with disabilities can help increase productivity and address skills shortages or how building workplaces that are accessible for employees with disabilities could also benefit, and attract, clients with disabilities.

Stakeholders also identified the benefits of employers discussing the employment of people with disabilities with other employers. For example, stakeholders felt that employer networks, conferences and information exchange would allow employers to share with each other successes and challenges in the employment of people with disabilities. This information exchange could help dispel some of the misconceptions that employers have about employing people with disabilities.

The linkages between education and employment outcomes were also discussed by participants. In particular, participants identified a need for investments in education for children and youth with disabilities to ensure a solid foundation for continued educational success and future labour market attachment.

Given the young Aboriginal population, this area was of particular concern to Aboriginal participants. Aboriginal stakeholders identified the need to ensure that young Aboriginal people with disabilities get the training and education available to them. It is also noted that any support provided to Aboriginal people with disabilities be holistic by acknowledging and incorporating Aboriginal culture, traditions and languages disabilities.

2. Employment Supports

Stakeholders indicated the need for holistic employment supports that cover both preparation for employment and ongoing employment supports. Examples of employment preparation supports included initiatives designed to help people with disabilities regain confidence, identify skills and develop plans to meet employment goals. Examples of ongoing employment supports included mentorship programs and programs by which disability service organizations can work directly with both workers with disabilities and their employers to help ensure ongoing employment. Stakeholders also indicated that Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) holder groups are having some successes that could be expanded and emulated to provide Aboriginal people with disabilities with appropriate access to employment both in their communities and in off-reserve urban communities.

Holistic approaches were discussed as working particularly well for people with disabilities who have more complex needs. Additionally, Aboriginal stakeholders identified the need to support holistic approaches that are grounded within their linguistic and cultural traditions and that address multiple barriers. A multi-dimensional approach, it was noted, would result in more successful outcomes than focusing solely on the disability. Training, adult education and literacy were also key interventions identified for the successful employment of Aboriginal people with disabilities.

3. Long-term, Stable Funding

Stakeholders discussed the need for disability organizations to have access to long-term funding which would allow them to better establish long-term relationships with partners, such as employers, and to provide the long-term support that people with disabilities with more complex needs require to obtain and keep employment. As well, long-term funding would allow for better reporting on project impact and outcomes.

Stakeholders also indicated the need for program funding that is flexible so that people with disabilities who have more complex needs can receive additional support and time to meet their employment goals. Funding also needs to recognize a variety of outcomes as successful. If funding is only focused on reaching the maximum number of people, projects will consequently often only focus on outcomes that are most easy to achieve and not provide the support to people with more complex needs. For example, it may not be realistic, at least in the short term, for an individual with complex needs to obtain full-time employment; instead a successful short-term outcome may be the completion of employment preparation courses or obtaining volunteer work. Depending on individual circumstances, successful outcomes vary per individual and stakeholders indicated the need for funding programs to be flexible enough to recognize this.

Stakeholders also noted that flexible funding would enable stronger partnerships and better strategic cooperation among disability stakeholders. For example, there is need for funding that enables the development of partnerships between disability organizations and/or enables disability organizations to better share information such as best practices, with their partners; this would allow successful initiatives to be copied and implemented more widely.

All Aboriginal stakeholders clearly articulated the need for adequate, flexible and stable long-term funding. Participants also indicated that key funding priorities should include funding for youth initiatives and the development of partnerships, employer business cases and employer-driven forums to improve employment opportunities and the overall economic situation of their communities. Such approaches would benefit the entire community which is consistent with the traditions and customs of the Aboriginal people.

4. Stigma and Discrimination

People with disabilities still face stigma and discrimination in society in general and in the workplace.

Participants noted the need for employment policies and programs to consider not only the various types of disabilities (such as physical and psychiatric disabilities and disabilities of different durations and severity) that a person can experience but also personal socio-economic factors such as gender, ethnicity, age, and immigration status. Coupled with disability, specific socio-economic factors can compound the stigma and discrimination experienced by a person.

It was noted that people with learning and psychiatric disabilities tend, in particular, to face a higher burden of stigma and discrimination which led to lower employment levels.

Stigma and discrimination also affects disclosure as many employees with disabilities that may not be apparent choose not to disclose their disabilities for fear of facing repercussions from their employers. This in turn can limit the participation of people with disabilities in support programs, in the labour market and can negatively affect career progression.

Educational institutions were also identified as having a role in reducing the stigma and discrimination faced by people with disabilities in employment. For example, if schools taught disability issues from a social and human rights perspective to students from a young age, this could potentially positively impact how society views people with disabilities.

Aboriginal people with disabilities face the stigma and discrimination associated with disability compounded by racism and other socio-economic factors. It was suggested that more dialogue is needed to address the issues of stigma and discrimination facing Aboriginal people with disabilities so that specific strategies can be developed. There is need to change how disability is seen – from the view that it is a liability to the view that it can be an asset. It was discussed that people with disabilities need positive role-models to combat the stigma and discrimination they face, and that mentors and role models can help Aboriginal people with disabilities and people with disabilities in general realize that they have power and influence over their own lives and in achieving their goals.

5. National Action Plan

Participants identified the possible benefit of developing a national action plan related to the employment of people with disabilities. Various national and provincial action plans and strategies have been developed over the last two decades; however, stakeholders felt that an action plan developed and implemented by the federal government could help to refocus resources and activities nationally on key employment challenges for Canadians with disabilities.

From the perspective of Aboriginal people with disabilities, it should be understood that there are many other issues that need to be considered in supporting the employment of Aboriginal people with disabilities. For example, culture and tradition can help ensure that their communities are inclusive; at the same time, other circumstances—such as the remoteness of some communities, on-reserve/off-reserve, urban/remote--add unique challenges and issues. In the development and implementation of any action plan to address the employment of Canadians with disabilities, these unique challenges must be considered and addressed.

Stakeholders indicated that there is a lack of sufficient data on the population of people with disabilities and Aboriginal people with disabilities in Canada and that an action plan should include measures to better collect and disseminate data on people with disabilities to inform policies and programs.

6. Flexible Income Supports

Stakeholders indicated that income supports—such as Old Age Security, the federal

Disability Tax Credit and the Canada Pension Plan—need to be examined to ensure that they are responding to the current challenges people with disabilities face in relation to employment, especially in light of the disincentives to employment that some of these programs create. Introducing more flexibility in the types of disabilities covered and the time span of coverage would, stakeholders noted, increase labour market participation and help eliminate poverty for many people with disabilities as individuals would be able to more easily move in and out of employment as needed. Currently, the only option for most people with disabilities is employment or unemployment with few options in between even though the effects of their disability may change dramatically over time.

The Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefit was provided as an example of an income support program that could be improved by adding additional flexibility. Currently, the EI Sickness Benefit program provides a maximum of 15 consecutive weeks of benefits to people who cannot work due to a short-term illness, injury or quarantine. Stakeholders indicated two key limitations of the EI Sickness Benefit program: that 15 weeks is not sufficient for a number of individuals with disabilities and the requirement for consecutive employment does not adequately support people who have episodic disabilities and, therefore, intermittent work capacity. Stakeholders indicated that extending the maximum duration of benefits and enabling benefits to be collected over a span of time (as opposed to consecutively) would better respond to the needs of people with disabilities and facilitate better labour market participation.

Inadequate funding is a constant issue for organizations supporting the employment of

Aboriginal people with disabilities; coupled with high caseloads and the intense work needed to support some Aboriginal people with more complex needs also places the organizations at a disadvantage. Stakeholders reiterated that the majority of Aboriginal people with disabilities face multiple barriers—such as higher rates of poverty —which can negatively impact learning, employment, and income.

7. Labour Market Agreements

Labour Market Agreements (LMAs) are bi-lateral agreements that the Government of Canada has entered into with the provinces and territories. These agreements are designed to increase the labour market participation of unemployed persons who are not eligible for Employment Insurance and to enhance the employability and skills of the labour force. Along with LMAs, there are also Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities (LMAPDs) which are agreements between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories and provide funding for programs and services to improve the employment situation for Canadians with disabilities.

In addition to these general programs, the Government of Canada also delivers the

Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) which is an integrated approach to Aboriginal labour market programming that links training to labour market demand to help ensure that Canada’s Aboriginal people can fully participate in economic opportunities. Aboriginal Agreement Holders deliver ASETS through an extensive network of service points across Canada.

With respect to LMAs and LMAPDs, stakeholders indicated that there is a need for clearer and more specific targets and better reporting on results; as well, outcomes need to be examined to ensure they are the most beneficial and appropriate. Participants suggested that, with government funding, non-governmental disability organizations could have a role in tracking and reporting on overall LMA/LMAPD progress in relation to the employment of people with disabilities.

Aboriginal stakeholders further indicated that, for Aboriginal people with disabilities,

ASETS has had little impact and is largely driven by priorities that don’t necessarily reflect the realities of Aboriginal people with disabilities.

8. Collaboration and Coordination

Given the continuing challenges in the employment faced by people with disabilities, stakeholders felt that national organizations with a mandate that encompasses disability and employment should more regularly come together to discuss current challenges, barriers, and issues and to share information and best practices. Currently, the federal and provincial/territorial governments put considerable resources into addressing the employment of people with disabilities, but there is very little coordination of these efforts and very little information sharing which, in turn, leads to inefficiencies. With a small investment to bring key organizations together regularly, the federal government could improve the impact of its, and its P/T partners’, investments.

Stakeholders also mentioned that there could be stronger role for the federal government in ensuring more consistent disability related legislation across provinces and territories.

Aboriginal stakeholders indicated that, in relation to federal programs and policies supporting the employment of Aboriginal people with disabilities, there is need for better coordination and cooperation inter-departmentally between, for example, HRSDC, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Health Canada, and Industry Canada.

TRENDS

In addition to population aging and the changing definitions of disability, stakeholders identified additional trends (described below) that they expect to impact the employment of Canadians with disabilities in the coming years.

Digital Divide

There is an increasing risk of a digital divide between people with disabilities and people without disabilities. As employers increasingly demand that workers have technological skills, it will be important that people with disabilities are supported in acquiring and maintaining these skills to ensure employability. For Aboriginal people with disabilities, this is of particular importance given the remoteness and isolation of many of their communities. The Literature Review “Where the River Flows: Aboriginal People with Disability” indicates that “…availability of a personal computer and access to the

Internet….” is one of the most effective interventions for Aboriginal persons with disability with respect to labour market information and training.

Fiscal Restraint

The current climate of fiscal restraint among all orders of government was identified as a trend of importance for disability organizations especially as it may have impact on eligibility requirements for disability programs, funding, and increased pressure to find other sources of funding. Given the disproportionate impact of the economic recession on vulnerable populations such as Canadians with disabilities, it is important that governments maintain their commitments to these populations and the organizations that support them.

Co-morbidity and Care-giving

As people with disabilities age, they are likely to acquire additional disabilities which can have impact on employment, health care needs, and care giving. Given Canada’s aging population, increasing disability rates among the general and Aboriginal populations, all orders of government need to prepare for the changing needs of Canadians with disabilities and how this will affect employment and income.

Long-Standing Issues

Stakeholders also stated that in order to ensure improved labour market outcomes and improved quality of life for people with disabilities, all orders of government need to continue to address the long-standing issues of poverty, increasing diversity, accessibility of the built environment and the stigma and discrimination experienced by people with disabilities. In addition for Aboriginal communities, overall health issues need to be addressed in order to ensure that Aboriginal people with disabilities can participate in the labour market to their full capacity.

CONCLUSION

Through both engagement activities, stakeholders confirmed that population aging, and a changing understanding of disability are bringing new challenges to the area of disability and employment that need to be addressed by governments. Stakeholders also made it clear that governments must continue to focus on long-standing issues—such as poverty, increasing diversity, accessibility of the built environment and eliminating stigma and discrimination—In order to see successful gains in the labour market attachment and participation of people with disabilities.

In addressing both long-standing and emerging issues, participants indicated the need for governments to provide flexible, long-term funding that enables disability-focused organizations to provide pre-, post- and on-going employment supports in a manner that recognizes the individual needs of people with disabilities. Participants also indicated that there is a strong role for the Federal Government to provide not only funding to disability organizations but to also increase awareness of disability issues amongst employers, and to coordinate and collaborate with all orders of government to address disability and employment related issues.

The information gathered from disability stakeholders through this engagement process has provided Human Resources and Skills Development with valuable input for future policy and program development related to the employment of people with disabilities. HRSDC wishes to sincerely acknowledge and thank all participants for their commitment, contributions and enthusiastic participation.

ANNEX A: ENGAGEMENT PARTICIPANT AND WORKING GROUP

MEMBER LIST

Non-Governmental Disability Stakeholders

Organization

Representative

Association multiethnique pour

l’intégration des personnes handicapées

(AMEIPH)

Teresa Penafiel, Directrice de la promotion

Autism Society Canada

Richard Burelle, Executive Director

British Columbia Aboriginal Network on

Disability Society

Neil Belanger, Executive Director

Canadian Association for Community

Living (CACL) and the Institute for

Research and Development on Inclusion

and Society (IRIS)

Cameron Crawford, Director-General,

Research

Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN)

Judy Donovan Whitty, Board Member

Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and

Work (CCRW)

Carole J. Barron, President & CEO

Canadian Diabetes Association

Jane Tsai, Manager, Public Policy

Canadian Hard of Hearing Association

(CHHA)

Robert Corbeil, Directeur général national

Canadian Hard of Hearing Association

(CHHA)

Louise Normand, National President

Canadian Injured Workers Alliance

Beverley McKeen, Board Member

Canadian Mental Health Association

Julie Flatt, Staff Support

Canadian Paraplegic Association

Darlene Cooper, Director of Rehabilitation

Services

Canadian Working Group on HIV and

Rehabilitation

Martine Mangion, Director of Episodic

Disabilities

CNIB

Christine Robbins, Government Relations

Specialist

Comité d’adaptation de la main-d’œuvre

pour personnes handicapées (CAMO)

Claude Séguin, Directeur général

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

Gail Lindsay, National ASETS Program

Assistant

Council of Canadians with Disabilities

(CCD)

Tony Dolan, CCD Chairperson

DAWN-RAFH Canada

Bonnie Brayton, National Executive

Director

Independent Living Canada (ILC)

Steve Carroll, National Director

Learning Disabilities Association of

Canada (LDAC)

Claudette Larocque, Director of Public

Policy and Programs

Link Up Employment Services for People

with Disabilities

Bob Santos, CEO

Mental Health Commission of Canada

Bonnie Kirsh, Workforce Advisory

Committee

Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

(Episodic Disability Network)

Deanna Groetzinger

Vice-President, Government Relations &

Policy

National Educational Association of

Disabled Students (NEADS)

Frank Smith, National Coordinator

Neil Squire Society

Dr. Gary Birch, Executive Director

People First of Canada

Shane Haddad, President

People First of Canada

Shelley Fletcher Rattai, Executive Director

Reach Canada

Heidi Curtis, Education Coordinator

SPHERE-Québec

Nancy Moreau, Directrice générale

Aboriginal Stakeholders

Assembly of First Nations (AFN)

Contact – Bryan Hendry & Judy Whiteduck

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK)

Contact – Maria Wilson

Metis National Council (MNC)

Contact - David Boisvert

Office For Disability Issues, HRSDC

Nancy Milroy-Swainson, Director General

Annette Thrasher, Director, Policy

Shane Rhodes, Policy Manager

Lina Asfour, Policy Manager

Donna Andrews. Senior Policy Analyst

Elizabeth Cahill, Senior Policy Analyst

Sylvain Laberge, Senior Policy Analyst

Helen Redican, Senior Policy Analyst

Manon Therriault, Policy Analyst

Labour Market Policy, HRSDC

Clara Morgan, Senior Policy Analyst

Marie-Rose Nyandwi, Senior Policy Analyst

Labour Market Programs for Persons with Disabilities, HRSDC

Jennifer Quaile, Manager

February 8th Engagement Meeting Facilitator

Raymonde D’Amour, Group Intersol

Working Group Members

Non-Governmental Disability Stakeholder Members

Organization

Representative

Canadian Association for Community

Living

Michael Bach, Executive Vice-President

Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and

Work

Carole J. Barron, President & CEO

Council of Canadians with Disabilities

Laurie Beachell, National Coordinator

DAWN Canada

Bonnie L. Brayton, National Executive

Director

Episodic Disability Network

Deanna Groetzinger, Episodic Disabilities

Episodic Disability Network

Martine Mangion, Director, Episodic

Disabilities

Independent Living Canada

Steve Carroll, A/National Director

Neil Squire Society

Dr. Gary Birch, Executive Director

Office For Disability Issues, HRSDC

Annette Thrasher, Director, Policy Division, (Working Group Chair)

Shane Rhodes, Policy Manager

Donna Andrews, Senior Policy Analyst

Labour Market Policy, HRSDC

Christina Caron, Director, Labour Market Policy Division

Clara Morgan, Senior Policy Analyst

Marie-Rose Nyandwi, Senior Policy Analyst

Labour Market Programs for Persons with Disabilities, HRSDC

Monika Bertrand, Director

Jennifer Quaile, Manager

ANNEX B: ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONS

National Disability Stakeholders (February 8, 2012 engagement)

Question One:

How can we best increase the employment of people with disabilities?

a) What is currently working well?

b) What could be working better?

c) Are there best practices that could be more widely implemented?

d) What key issues need to be addressed to increase the employment of people with

disabilities?

Question Two:

How can we best promote and ensure fulfilling and rewarding employment for people with

disabilities?

a) What is currently working well?

b) What could be working better?

c) Are there best practices that could be more widely implemented?

d) What key issues need to be addressed to ensure fulfilling and rewarding

employment for people with disabilities?

Question Three:

Two key trends are expected to have impact on disability and employment in the coming

years:

* the evolving understanding of disability

* population aging

a) How can employers better respond to the evolving understanding of disability

(such as the increasing prevalence of mental health and episodic disabilities)?

b) How can employers better accommodate age-related disabilities and an

increasing number of older workers with disabilities?

c) What changes to government policies and programs need to be made to address

these two trends?

d) Are there other trends that governments need to prepare for?

Question Four:

a) For people with disabilities, what are the key employment outcomes

governments should be striving for now and in the future?

b) In light of limited funds, where should governments be investing to achieve

these employment outcomes?

Question Five:

In relation to employment for people with disabilities, what are the roles for the each of